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                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI. - July 20, 2001 - Renaissance Learning(TM), Inc. (Nasdaq:
RLRN), a leading provider of school improvement programs to K-12 schools, has
expanded its board of directors with the addition of Addison L. (Tad) Piper,
chairman of the board of Minneapolis, Minn.-based investment banking firm U.S.
Bancorp Piper Jaffray.

Piper, 54, has been chairman of Piper Jaffray since 1988, and served as chief
executive officer from 1983 through 1999. He originally joined the company in
1969. He currently serves as director of several non-profit organizations
including Allina Health System, Minnesota Public Radio, and St. Martin's Church
Foundation, and as regent of St. Olaf College.

"We are very pleased that Tad has agreed to join our board," said Michael Baum,
chief executive officer of Renaissance Learning. "We expect his wide experience
with a variety of firms and business situations will provide valuable insights
for us as we continue to grow."

Piper formerly held posts as chair of Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minnesota
Public Radio, and the NYSE Regional Firms Advisory Group Committee, vice-chair
of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and the Board of Governors of the Securities
Industry Association, director of Greenspring Corporation, and trustee of
Woodhill Country Club, Guthrie Theatre, Washburn Child Guidance Center, and the
Stanford University Business School Trust. He holds a bachelor's degree in
economics from Williams College and an MBA from Stanford.

U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray is one of the nation's premier financial investment
firms, providing a full range of investment products and services to
individuals, institutions and businesses. The company also has a national
reputation for its expertise in fundamental and technical research as well as
debt and equity financing for growth companies in key industries. It is a
division of Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp, the 8th largest financial services
holding company in the United States, with assets in excess of $160 billion.

Renaissance Learning, Inc., is a leading provider of comprehensive school
improvement programs to K-12 schools and school districts, including
research-based software products, teacher training, and consulting. The
Company's software products, called learning information systems, give students
and teachers continuous constructive feedback that helps motivate students,
dramatically accelerate learning, improve test scores, and helps students master
all standards, while reducing teacher paperwork. Adopted by about 57,000
schools, these software products are among the most popular in schools
nationwide, including Accelerated Reader(R), Accelerated Math(R), STAR
Reading(R), STAR Math(R), STAR Early Literacy(TM), PerfectCopy(TM), and others.
More than 300,000 pre-K-12 educators have received Renaissance training. The
Company also provides electronic assessment products and services to educational
publishers, and sells enterprise software for training and knowledge management.
The Company has six U.S. locations and subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, India,
and the United Kingdom.

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This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe
harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any
such forward-looking statements may involve risk and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from any future results encompassed
within the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to
such differences include those matters disclosed in Renaissance Learning's
Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company's other Securities and Exchange
Commission filings, which matters are incorporated herein by reference.